Towel holding and dispensing cabinet



Dec. 2'5, 1928. 1,696,184`

C. H. ASHLEY ETWAL Y TOWEL HOLDING AND DISPENSING CABINET Filed March 17. 1926 K f* rYYYYNfN OO( l N "NI".

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` Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.;

CHARLES H. ASHLEY AND LEIGH H.A PHILLEO, OF LOS .Al\TGIE1'.|IE}S,r CALIFORNIA.

. TOWEL `HOLDING AND DIPENSIN G Application filed March 17, 1926'. Serial No. 95,428.

Our invention relates particularly to al cabinet adapted to hold and dispense hand towels one by one for use without wholly disconnecting the towel from the cabinet, each towel being folded wit-hin the cabinet with a part attached to the cabinet and another part exposed to be pulled for the purpose of pulling the towel out of the cabinet for use.

Among the salient objects of this invention is to 'provide an improved means for holding the folded towels within the cabinet so that a quantity of towels will be held in folded condition therein and each can be pulled therefrom without pulling the others with it.

In order to explain our invention, we have shown the same on the accompanying sheet of drawings, whichwe will now explain:

Figure l is a perspective view of a cabinet, with a part of the front removed and a part of one end broken away to show the interior construction and arrangement;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary'view of a Acabinet, showing a sli htly modified form of i mechanism for holdlng folded towels within the cabinet; Y Figure 3 1s a fragmentary view of a cabinet showing still another means of holding folded towels within the cabinet so that they can be removed individually for use; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing one corner of a towel with tab.

Referring in detail to the drawings,the cabinet or case 1 is open at its bottom side and isprovided with a hinged front, 2, to give access to the interior thereof. A rod, 3, is inserted across the open bottom, and is held in place by being inserted through two depending ears, as 4, at the opposite ends of the cabinet, the rod having secured thereto a plate, 5, corresponding to the ear 4, with slot, 6, therethrough, to receive a staple, 7, on the ear, 4, whereby a small padlock, '8, canbe used to lock the rod in place across the open bottom of the case, as clearly shown. The cabinet is provided with a series of partition members, as 9, 9, the lower, front corners of which rest upon a cross strip, 10, lengthwise of the case and positioned at the front of the bottom. The towels, T, are folded and placed together between the partitions, 9, 9, as indicated and rest upon the crossstrip, 10, as

indicated in Fig. 1, each towel being provided with a tab, as 11, with eye, 12, therein, to receive the cross rod, 3, for holding it.

Each towel is also provided with a pull tab,

one towel is shown hanging from the rod, as

left after `it has been used.

Referring to Fig. 2, thecabiuet is shown provided with movable partitions, 14, 14, on a rod 15, through the upper ends thereof, and on which are placed two springs, as 16, adapted to yieldingly move said partitions apart on said rod, 15. The towels, T, are placed between the end of the cabinet and said partitions, or between pairs of partitions, with said partitions crowded together, so that as a towel is pulled, the springs force said pairs of partitions apart and thusmaintain a tension on Said folded towels. `The cabinet is also provided with a cross strip, 17, for supporting the lower side of thevfolded towels, as indicated. The partitions are provided on their adjacent faces with recesses 14a to receive the springs, 16, as indicated, whereby said partitions can be moved'close together.

The lower part of the cabinet is made simtowels is shown, and comprises flexible e straps, as 19, 19, securedto the top, 18, and

each provided at its opposite ends with weight members, 20, 20, adapted to automatically press the towels placed therebetween and hold them by the action of gravity on said weight members, or partitions, 20, 20. As the towels are pulled therefrom said weight partitions move together, as will be clear.

In Fig. 4, a fragmentary corner of a towel, T, is shown with a loop, `21, of cord, instead of being a flat tab, as illustrated in the other cases, Fig. 1, and while any form of tab or pulling part can be provided, we do not limit our invention to any particular means for pulling said towels from the cabinet in which they are Vheld in folded form. Nor do we limit our invention to any particular typeof cabinet or holding means therein .for holding the towels in folded condition, except as we may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

We claim:

1. A towel holding cabinet comprising a box with an open bottom and front and with closed top, back and ends, a hinged door covering the front, a cross strip across the bottom from one end to the other to support towels thereon and leaving the major portion of the bottom open, and a cross rod across the bottom from one engl to the other and detachably held in place, and adapted to have towels attached thereto, and means fox-looking said cross rod in place with open space adjacent one side thereof, whereby folded towels edgewise thereupon within said box,` a cross rod across seid open bottom near said cross strip from one end to the other, detaehzgbly held in place und adapted to have a part of each towel threaded thereon, whereby said ytowel can be pulled 'from said cross strip, through said open bottom with its lpart attached to said cross rod, und means for locking said cross rod in place.

Signed at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, this l2 du); ol" March, 1926.

CHARLES H. Asmgnr. LEIGH H. Pmmgno. 

